Re: Deep Finesse gets this right

On Apr 24, 4:43 am, Steve Willner <swill...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> But it's harder when you can't see all the cards....
>
>    Dealer East
>    NS Vul
>    IMP Pairs
>
>            North
>            K75
>            AK62
>            76432
>            3
>    West               East
>    JT62               -
>    QT97               J4
>    QT                 AKJ8
>    764                AQJ9852
>            South
>            AQ9843
>            853
>            95
>            KT
>    West   North  East   South
>                  1C!    1S
>    Pass!  2S     3C     Pass
>    Pass   3H     Pass   3S
>    Dbl    All Pass
>
> 1C was strong and artificial; West's pass showed any bad hand (less than
> a decent 5-count).  NS have no two-suited methods over the strong club;
> their bidding was natural.
>
> Q1. What do you think of the bidding, especially by EW?
>
> West led C-4 (count leads).  East played C-A and three rounds of
> diamonds, declarer ruffing with S-9 and West discarding H-7 (low
> encourages).  Declarer drew three rounds of trumps ending in dummy and
> ruffed a diamond; the only additional trick for the defense was West's
> high trump.
>
> Deep Finesse says the double-dummy result is 8 tricks.  As far as I can
> tell, the defense achieves this only by switching to hearts before
> playing the third round of diamonds.
>
> Q2. Can defenders beat the contract without a peek?  How?  Assign the
> blame, if you will.

I do not like the EW bidding, which exhibits bad judgment on both
sides
I would not double with the West hand. West has a fit in clubs and can
see that East is short in spades.
NS are certainly thinking they can make 3S at this vulnerability.
Nothing in West hand says otherwise.
But neither would I leave the double in as East.
West honor structure is of dubious value in defense or for a high
level club contract.
I would not pass over 3C but bid 3NT with the West hand. Over 3NT East
should run to 4C, since West can hardly have the CK, a spade stopper
and something in hearts for his initial Pass. A game in clubs must
have better odds from East point of view.
West should pass 4C.

Rainer Herrmann